Radar level gauge systems are in wide use for measuring process variables of products contained in tanks, such as filling level, temperature, pressure etc. Radar level gauging is generally performed either by means of non-contact measurement, whereby electromagnetic signals are radiated towards the product contained in the tank, or by means of contact measurement, often referred to as guided wave radar (GWR), whereby electromagnetic signals are guided towards and into the product by a transmission line probe. The transmission line probe is generally arranged vertically from top to bottom of the tank. The electromagnetic signals are subsequently reflected at the surface of the product, and the reflected signals are received by a receiver or transceiver comprised in the radar level gauge system. Based on the transmitted and reflected signals, the distance to the surface of the product can be determined.
More particularly, the distance to the surface of the product is generally determined based on the time between transmission of an electromagnetic signal and receipt of the reflection thereof in the interface between the atmosphere in the tank and the product contained therein. In order to determine the actual filling level of the product, the distance from a reference position to the surface is determined based on the above-mentioned time (the so-called time-of-flight) and the propagation velocity along the probe of the electromagnetic signals.
This propagation velocity is influenced by various factors, such as the configuration of the transmission line probe and environmental conditions inside the tank. Such environmental conditions, for example, include the composition of the atmosphere above the surface of the product contained in the tank, and product residue which may have adhered to the probe as the filling level of the product changes inside the tank.
In boiler applications, for example, the atmosphere inside the boiler tank may be steam under high pressure, in which case the difference in dielectric constant may be quite large for different operating conditions.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,525,476 discloses a guided wave radar level gauge system in which reference reflectors are provided at known positions along the transmission line probe and in which the difference between the measured distance and the known distance between a pair of reference reflectors is used to compensate for variations in propagation velocity caused by variations in the propagation conditions along the transmission line probe.
Although allowing for a more accurate filling level determination in applications with varying propagation properties inside the tank, the reference reflectors reflect a portion of the signal, which means that there is some reduction in the sensitivity of the radar level gauge system as compared to a corresponding guided wave radar level gauge system without reference reflectors.